Cripple&#39;s washing device



W. L. FINKHGUSEN. CRIPPLES WASHING DEVICE.

, APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, I920- 1,3'72,4;1 2, Paten ed Mar. 22, 1921.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LEROY FINKHOUSEN, OF VAN WERT, OHIO.

CRIPPLES WASHING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed July 23, 1920. Serial No. 398,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WIL IAM LEROY FINK- HoUsEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Van \Vert, county of Van Wert, and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cripplcsashing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has as its object to provide a toilet brush adapted foruse in scrubbing the hands and face of individualsparticularly those whohave lost, or are unable to use, either or both of their upper limbs,the brush having engaged with its backing, a vacuum or suction cup bywhich it may be attached to any convenient support and in any preferredposition.

A further object is to provide such brushes in forms readily carriedfrom place to place and used as required.

These objects are attained by the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings,forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which Figure l is avertical sectional view of a conventional type of sink or lavatory;showing the application and use of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the appliance in another position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the brush.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig.3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly lFigs. 3 and 4, thebrush will be seen to consist of an oval backing 10 having a convexouter surface in which are secured the brush tufts 11 in the usualmanner.

Extending from the opposite side of the backing plate is a shortcylindrical stem 14 containing a shallow annular recess 15.

A. highly flexible, pliable cylinder 16, made preferably of rubber, ismolded. at its upper end to present an inturned beading 17 suited to betightly received in the recess 15 so as to form an impervious joint whenin engagement, while the lower end of the cylinder is curved outwardlyinto a bell-shaped base 18,.and constituting in effect a vacuum cup.

In operation, the base of the cup is applied to the object to which thebrush is to be attached and the brush pressed firmly against it,.causingthe cup to collapse and force out the air from within it.

Upon releasing pressure on the brush, the walls of the cup expand, dueto their inhercnt resiliency, creating a partial 'acuum or suctioncapable of firmly supporting the brush in operative position.

Obviously, means are thus provided for attaching the brush to a wall asindicated in Fig. 3, or against the front wall of a sink, below thefaucet, as shown in Fig. 2, or directly to the bottom of the sink asindicated in Fig. 1.

In any of these positions, a person is readily able to perform ordinaryablutions to the head without use of the hands, or if the person has butone hand, the same can be easily cleansed as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is r brush comprising a backing having a facecontaining tufts, a single integral cylindrical extension formed withthe rear of said backing opposite the tufts, said exten sion having anannular groove, and a flexible tubular element fixed at one end in thementioned groove forming an impervious joint closing one end of saidelement, said element flaring outwardly at its opposite, open end andadapted to exert a suctorial effect when )ressed against a surface whereby the brus h is held by the vacuum thus. produced.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WlLLlAM LEROY FINKHOUSEN.

